I'm sure for many the answer to that question would be no. I admit, that would have been my reaction but six months ago. But slowly, since my brother moved back to England from the States engulfed with an insane love for the game, I've become a devotee as well. The problem with American Football for lots of British people is the stop-start nature of the game. While I admit that it annoys me somewhat, you watch enough and you get used to it. Another reason why the game hasn't taken off in this country is that the common sports fan only watches the Superbowl. This just isn't enough time to grow to understand and appreciate such a complex sport. It also doesn't help that American Football is not played by many in this country, so it can only be accessed by a few.
I went to watch New Orleans v San Diego at Wembley last October and was hooked. Like many, I watch the Superbowl every year, but watching a game live is just something else. The breaks in play become irrelevant (they're pretty speedy changes anyway) and watching a superstar like LaDainian Tomlinson break a few tackles and motor away to get a touchdown is a sight to behold.
This week has been a huge one for any British NFL fan. It started with the Conference finals (effectively the Superbowl semi finals) and finished with tickets going on sale for this year's Wembley game, between the biggest team in the game the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I got my tickets, can't wait.
If you fancy watching the Superbowl this year, let me fill you in on my "journey to Tampa (where the match is being played)" as the media is dubbing it. I managed to get to a TV with Sky Sports on it for the last games of the regular season. I'm a Patriots fan, my brother a Dallas Cowboys fan. We settle down for the Patriots game, knowing they have to win to have a hope of making the playoffs. They do win, thrashing Arizona in the snow. The Patriots have been up and down this year after a raft of injuries to key players, not least quarterback Tom Brady who has been out nearly the entire season. However, the team New England need to lose to go through win, leaving the Pats with one of the best records of a team to not make the playoffs in NFL history - i'm gutted. The Dallas match is next, against Philadelphia, and the Cowboys are rubbish, truly terrible. Tony Romo (another big name in the sport, and, incidentally, boyfriend of Jessica Simpson, her off MTV's Newlyweds) throws a few interceptions, furthering his reputation as someone who can't "get it done" once the season hits December. So, my brother and I face the playoffs without a team. I take Indianapolis (a quality side with the best quarterback there is, Peyton Manning and also the winners of the first superbowl I watched) and my brother reverts to New York Giants, the team that ruined NE's perfect season last year by winning the Superbowl. My brother maintains he was a Giants fan all along. In the first round of the playoffs, both our newly found teams lose, so I go for third choice Philadelphia Eagles, who I saw play so well against Dallas, and who have pace, strength, and crucially for my particular enjoyment, a great passing game in the huge Donovan McNabb. Philly are superb, and make it through to the Conference finals last Saturday against Arizona, who have been on fire. My third choice team go down in "the desert" in one of the games of the season, despite a brilliant fight back that sees them five minutes away from the Superbowl despite being 18 points adrift at half time. And so it is that I will be cheering on the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday week. They're up against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who my brother adopted after NY went out (he conveniently has friends in Pottsburgh). There are three reasons I will be cheering on the Cardinals. 1) They've never made a Superbowl before. 2) In Larry Fitzgerald they have one of the best receivers around. 3) Cuba Gooding Jr's character in Jerry Maguire played for the Cardinals.
This year's Superbowl is another David and Goliath matchup, just like last year when David won out. Pittsburgh have a big history, they've won the Superbowl five times, the last in 2006 and have a formidable defense. It's the fact that teams like Arizona can even make the biggest day in their sport's season that makes American Football so compelling, let's hope they don't get trounced by Goliath.
Check out these highlights of the top 10 plays from the conference semis. Just in case you think football is a sport for wusses, watch number 2.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/american_football/7830434.stm
And if that wasn't enough, check out the top 10 plays of the regular season. Number's 3 and 4 sum up why I love the game.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/american_football/7818874.stm
Good luck to you if you've got exams, a note to to remind you to get in touch and give your feedback to online.sport@forgetoday.com. Next week I'll have a Transfer Window special. I will spend the next seven days trying to work out why Jimmy Bullard has gone to Hull. In two weeks we'll have an Australian Open tennis special, in time for the final weekend. Let's hope Andy Murray is still there.
Take care
Ben
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Baseball is the national pastime, but is still the best to really get into stats and match ups. Basketball is about the name on the jersey, but still has the fans watching the unexpected happenings every second.
Football is about the game and how it's coached.
All three are a must for AMERICA!
Baseball is the national pastime, but is still the best to really get into stats and match ups. Basketball is about the name on the jersey, but still has the fans watching the unexpected happenings every second.
Football is about the game and how it's coached.
All three are a must for AMERICA!
http://sportschatterings.blogspot.com/
Post a Comment